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Tuesday, December 16, 2008

What Happened To Johnnie Conner And Why?

It's been five days since a mailman making his daily rounds found 73-year-old eastside businessman, Johnnie Conner, lying dead inside the corner business he ran for decades at 3125 East New York Street. Police remained mum about the cause of his death initially, but we now know he died from a single gunshot to the head despite some reports that he died from multiple gunshot wounds. Police suggested robbery as a motive. Neighbors fear something worse. An obituary in the newspaper observing the passing of the owner of Johnnie's Glass & Frames, known by friends as "Mr. Johnnie", says he was born in Montgomery, Alabama on January 14, 1935. A day of news coverage and he just becomes homicide victim #114 for the year.

Conner, a veteran, moved up to Indianapolis from Florida back in the 1960s according to a friend and raised his family here. He built a successful glass shop at the location in Englewood over a three decade period, providing an important anchor to this eastside neighborhood ravaged by a recent wave of crime and an ever-growing number of abandoned homes, which invite more criminal activity. Only blocks away on the same street, a 30-year-old woman's body was discovered in an abandoned home two months ago. Conner also owned a number of nearby rental properties, which he maintained well, and he lived across the street from his business. He cared about the quality of life in his neighborhood and could care less about the color of your skin according to a friend. Cognizant of the criminal element nearby, he always wore a handgun. And he wasn't afraid to reach out to help others in the neighborhood. One neighbor described the Johnnie she knew on the Indianapolis Star's Talkback site:

I remember Johnnie as a long time friend when ask for help, he responded. After a break-in leaving my home defenseless, he made it secure. I remember his talking of his family as they served our country and his youngest as if he would always be dad. I remember him as not seeing skin color, but something deeper, he could see your moral values. I remember sitting with him, listening to his retold jokes, laughing again and again at the same jokes just because he enjoyed the retelling so much. I remember seeing him pick up other people's trash. I remember him being asked for a handout, taking money out of his pocket, giving money away. I told him agencies were for help, his reply; it is needed now. He knew it might be used for something besides food. Yes, he enjoyed playing and traveling was his passion. He believed in working to make that possible. He took pride in his city and police department, calling the police who worked the area his friends. Yes he will be missed. He lived religion.

Yes, he considered the police who worked the area his friends according to neighbors. And at least one neighbor believes he may have even been a helpful informant for police. Crack houses and prostitution have been a persistent problem in the area. Some neighbors complain that their efforts to weed out the criminal element in the area have been less than welcomed by some IMPD officers patrolling the area. These same neighbors are skeptical Conner's death is simply an armed robbery gone bad. While police have released little information to the public, according to one source, Conner's body was found with the money he was carrying and other untouched valuables within his business; however, a box which Conner used for petty cash was missing. The source speculates that the killer may have taken the money box to make it appear to be a robbery instead of a hit job to punish a snitch. The source believes the killer knew Conner would be armed and quickly eliminated the threat with a single, precise shot.

Conner's senseless killing has left this neighborhood in a state of shock. Their guardian angel is gone. Last year, older, middle class neighborhoods like this one switched their allegiance from Mayor Bart Peterson to Greg Ballard in hopes a new administration would successfully combat the twin evils besetting them--crime and abandoned homes. A year later, their hopes have been dashed. Conner's death is just another reminder of what they had already concluded. In perhaps a moment of candor or a slip of the tongue, one city official had this blunt response to neighborhood complaints: "Why don't they just move if they don't like the neighborhood?" Some are moving. Not a few blocks away. Not another part of town. But across the county line. Conner's death, they fear, is a turning point for the worse instead of a cause for change. If nobody cares why Johnnie died . . .

7 comments:

yes gary I was at the meeting in warren township when Andy Harris stated that comment, "If you don't like it here, just leave." There have been many blunders by the mayor's office and his staff of stouges, and I share the blame since I voted for them. I won't do that again.

In the mean time, you spend your blogging hours ranting about issues about DC, about Obama, and about issues that really have no effect on Indianapolis. It's odd, seems as if Dan Burton has hijacked this blog.

Can you go back to what Advances Indiana and let the someone else badmouth the administration?

BTW, Johnnie reglazed my windows, I knew him and really liked that guy. Not everyone on the near east side is complicant to crime.

"yes gary I was at the meeting in warren township when Andy Harris stated that comment, "If you don't like it here, just leave."

I don't know the person who made the comment but I always wonder...

Do we want slick, practiced politicians and political insider cronies who always say "the right thing" (Joe Biden notwithstanding) or do we want government of, for and by the people ... even people who sometimes say something stupid.

Personally, I have no problem with the Mayor's office right now, although I did get a disturbing e-mail earlier today about some potential new gun registration effort which would need to be put down?? Don't know if that's legit or not.

Just like when someone gets mad and complains about the high tax rates or the fact we live in (supposed to be anyway) a Capitalist Republic instead of (what now appears to be) a Socialist Corporatocracy ... there will be lots of people saying "well, if you don't like it, move."

Anyway, I just get my hackles up when people slam a whole administration over something stupid one person said.

My name is James I am Johnnies stepson WHO IS YOUR SOURCE THE POLICE HAVE NOT EVEN RELEASED ANY INFORMATION TO US AS THE FAMILY..... IS YOUR SOURCE THE KILLER!!!!! ALL QUESTIONS THAT NEED TO BE ANSWERED NOW!!!! WE WANT JUSTICE FOR OUR DAD'S KILLER I DONT CARE ABOUT ANYTHING RIGHT NOW BUT TO SEE WHOEVER IS RESPONSABLE FOR TAKING MY FATHERS LIFE BROUGHT TO JUSTICE WE WANT THEM FOUND PLEASE THINK ABOUT THIS ONLY LAW ENFORCEMENT AND THE KILLER KNOWS HOW HE DIED AND IF YOUR SOURCE IS LAW ENFORCEMENT WE WANT HIS NAME ALSO!!! DAD... WE LOVE YOU AND MISS YOU SO MUCH ANY INFORMATION ANYONE HAS PLEASE CONTACT DETECTIVE MILLER WITH IMPD THANK YOU

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